Mars One is a project to send us humanoids on a one-way trip to Mars. This is not like being sent to the naughty corner. This is a life-changing opportunity and plenty of people have applied to have one of these as their supermarket trolley.

Image courtesy of Victor Habbick / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In fact, their mission statement reads as thus:

Mars One is a not-for-profit foundation that will establish permanent human life on Mars. Human settlement on Mars is possible today with existing technologies. Mars One’s mission plan integrates components that are well tested and readily available from industry leaders worldwide. The first footprint on Mars and lives of the crew thereon will captivate and inspire generations. It is this public interest that will help finance this human mission to Mars.

An unbelievable 202,586 people from more than 140 countries of this world applied to take the journey of new discovery. 24% of these were from America, 10% from India and Great Britain showing a healthy 4% of applications. Anything to avoid the X-Factor!

The plan is that by next year they will have six to ten teams of four volunteers to undertake the 7-year training to be ready to fly off to another world by 2023.

Wow!

At the end of December Mars One announced 1,058 people had been put through to the next phase.

I hope this works. I keep my fingers crossed until they HURT in the hope that this happens during my lifetime. I’m envious of the 1,058 people and the adventure they’re about to embark upon just to have the chance to be one of the teams.

My previous post asked Where is all the ALIEN footage? Well some of these people will get a chance to be an Alien landing on a foreign planet. I might EXPLODE with excitement.

I am in love with the concept of Mars One. I even bought a Mars One t-shirt, lol. I would never go to Mars myself — I’m afraid I’m not brave enough for that, and I just know I’d develop some horrible medical condition the instant I shot off-planet and there’d be no doctors out there to help me. I’m a bit of a hypochondriac, lol. I hadn’t heard that they’ve narrowed it down to 1000 people! I’m fascinated to know what they’ll be teaching the astronauts in this 7 year boot camp. How to use the equipment, obviously. Probably medical training … how to survive on an alien planet …

And that’s such a huge thing … stuck with the same 10 people for the rest of your life … PLUS cameras aimed at you 24/7 … they’re going to have to find the most relaxed people in the world who are also responsible and capable. I have a feeling it’s going to be quite the hunt :)

I am in awe that anyone would really sign up for such an exploit. I would imagine they would have to have a well-rounded group of people, right?

However, can I ask what gives us the right to assume we can invade another planet? Just because we have the technology doesn’t mean we should. I am not necessarily against space exploration, but I think we have far too many issues and problems on our planet (which we caused) and have no business risking another one. I would much rather see that funding go toward saving planet Earth, because it’s in trouble.

That being said, it is exciting indeed. I wish my grandfather were around to hear about it. I think he’d get a kick out of it. :)

I doubt I would have had the courage to leave Europe and come to the New World in the 1600s, and that was still on the same planet! I know I couldn’t handle colonizing another planet—especially the very first one in human history. It’ll be interesting to see how this goes. :)

For Mars One to receive the support that it needs for sustainability, There will need to be some financial return. Even Isabella was looking for financial return from the New World. It’s sad but true. I hope that I get to see it in my lifetime. It is exciting to the beginnings of true space exploration.

They’ve said it’ll cost about $6bn for the first phase and then $4bn per mission. They’ll hope to sell the TV rights for the build-up and then the missions. Like you say, they’ll need more than that to make this happen. I just hope they do!

Hmmm I would hope so. Nothing worse than Columbus setting sail and his boats sinking due to madness amongst the crew. This is a much smaller venture. Could be some serious red faces amongst the psychologists!